Efforts to save Mandeville hospital move forward

Efforts to save Southeast Louisiana Hospital in Mandeville took a step forward Thursday. The state of Louisiana, St. Tammany Parish and at least one private company are all trying to save the facility.

“It’s what we’ve all been aiming for, and it is a good step,” said St. Tammany Parish President Pat Brister. “I’m just very encouraged that we can get there. We’re not there yet.”

DHH Deputy Secretary Kathy Kliebert said their goal is to have a signed agreement in place within two weeks.

“A lot of hard work had gone into continuing services at Southeast Louisiana Hospital, without increasing the burden to the taxpayers of Louisiana during tight budget constraints,” Kliebert said.

That could mean saving jobs at Southeast. Brister said the facility will need personnel, and that no one is better than the people who have been doing this already.

“For a company, an out-of-state company, to come in and work with the state and work with the local officials to come in and keep some services here, it is certainly at least a partial victory,” said Nick Richard, executive director of National Alliance on Mental Illness St. Tammany.

The mental health community was encouraged that the doors at Southeast Hospital could stay open; however, they are keeping up their efforts. Richard said the area is in severe need of long term beds -- something he said he will be fighting for.

The parish is also working to keep current outpatient services at the hospital campus up and running without disruption.

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